Preview: #2 Duke Blue Devils (17-2, 9-0 ACC) vs. NC State Wolfpack (9-10, 2-6 ACC)

#2 Duke Blue Devils (17-2, 9-0 ACC) vs. NC State Wolfpack (9-10, 2-6 ACC)

Monday, Jan. 27 • 8:30 p.m. ET

Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314) • Durham, NC

TV: ESPN

Radio: Blue Devil Sports Network from LEARFIELD

The Blue Devils return to Cameron Indoor Stadium for a nighttime matchup with North Carolina State on Monday.

TV/Video Stream ESPN
Play-by-Play Dave O’Brien
Analyst Cory Alexander
Analyst Myron Medcalf
Producer Kim Belton
Director Bonnie Riley

Radio Blue Devil Sports Network
Play-by-Play David Shumate
Analyst John Roth
Engineer John Rose
In Durham 96.5 FM & 620 AM
SiriusXM 84

Overall Duke leads, 152-105
In Durham, NC Duke leads, 67-30
at Cameron Indoor Stadium Duke leads, 54-26
In Raleigh, NC Duke leads, 49-44
at Lenovo Center Duke leads, 10-8
Neutral Sites Duke leads, 23-19
Last Meeting NC State 76, Duke 64 (March 31, 2024; NCAA Tourn.)

Kevin Keatts, coming off of a Final Four appearance, enters Monday with his team sitting at 9-10, and 2-6 in conference. The Wolfpack are having a tough go of it lately, losing 4 straight games by a total of 14 points. The Wolfpack lead the ACC and rank 15th nationally in fastbreak points, averaging 15.4 per game. NC State is fourth nationally in fewest turnovers at 9.3 per contest and 24th in turnover margin (3.9) – both best in the ACC.

NC State is led in scoring by a duo of 6’4 guards. Senior Marcus Hill scores 13.2 points per game to lead the Wolfpack, and senior Jayden Taylor comes in at half a point behind him at 12.7 per game. Brandon Huntley-Harfield leads Kevin Keatts’ team in rebounding with 5.1 per game to go with his 8.1 points. Michael O’Connell leads the ACC and ranks fifth in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.72).

Duke owns an 11-0 record at home, while NC State is looking for its first road win (0-4) and has won 13 straight games, the longest active winning streak in the nation. Duke’s 13-game win streak is the longest by the Blue Devils since the 2014-15 season. The 9-0 start in ACC play is the best by the Blue Devils since the 2007-08 season (10-0).

The Blue Devils rank second in the nation in scoring margin (+21.0), fifth in field goal percentage defense (.370), fifth in scoring defense (59.3), eighth in rebound margin (+9.4), 10th in assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.65), 16th in three-pointers per game (10.4) and 21st in assists per game (17.2) – all top marks in the ACC. Duke is the only team in the country ranked among the top-six in both offensive (6th) and defensive efficiency (3rd), according to KenPom. Duke is the only Division I team to score 80 points or more per game (80.3) and hold its opponents to fewer than 60 points per game (59.3).

Cooper Flagg leads the Blue Devils in several categories, including points (19.5), rebounds (8), assists (4.2), steals (1.5), and blocks (1.2). Flagg is the only player to rank among the ACC’s top-10 in all five of the major statistical categories – scoring (2nd), rebounding (7th), assists (7th), steals (10th) and blocks (7th). Duke boasts 2 other double-figure scorers in freshman Kon Knueppel who scores it at a 12.8 point per game clip and Tyrese Proctor who is at 10.7 points per game. In the last five games, Sion James has distributed 28 assists with just six turnovers, an assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.7.

*As of right now, Duke will be without Maliq Brown for the foreseeable future due to a knee injury suffered against Notre Dame.

PG Sion James 6’6, 220lbs – Grad Transfer
SG Tyrese Proctor 6’6, 183lbs – Junior
SF Kon Knueppel 6’7, 217lbs – Freshman
PF Cooper Flagg 6’9, 205lbs – Freshman
C Khaman Maluach 7’2, 250lbs – Freshman

G Michael O’connell 6’2, 195lbs – Grad Student
G Jayden Taylor 6’4, 195lbs – Senior
G Marcus Hill 6’4, 185lbs – Senior
G Dontrez Styles 6’6, 210lbs – Senior
F Ben Middlebrooks 6’10, 240lbs – Senior

In the game against Wake Forest, Duke gave up 12 fast break points. Transition defense and valuing the basketball should be a huge point of emphasis against NC State, who lead the ACC in fast break points per game at 15.4. Winning the turnover battle is important but also keeping the Wolfpack off of the offensive glass, limiting them to one shot, will also be crucial for the Blue Devils Monday night. The Demon Deacons second half run should hopefully stress to the players that execution is important, empty possessions from bad shots are just like turnovers.

Duke cannot afford to get punched to play their best basketball, beginnings of games, end of halves and beginning of halves are prime spots where the Blue Devils have to do better. Wake Forest ended the first half with a dunk which led them into a 25 to 6 run. Value the ball but also value each and every possession. NC State has guards that have no problem getting down hill, and Marcus Hill is a big shot hitter for them. When they are in a lull, he is option number 1. Slowing him down will be job one for Tyrese Proctor and Sion James. The expectation is going to be that of a NC State team that is going to try to be physical with the Blue Devils – last season Jon Scheyer didn’t have the lineup to combat that physicality – this season he does.